[HISTORY: Adopted New Canaan Town Council 1-10-79,[1] effective 1-26-79. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance repealed former Ch. 33,
Impounding Illegally Parked Vehicles, adopted 2-16-58, effective 3-15-58.
[Amended 11-12-86, effective 11-28-86]
After a final notice is sent by mail to the registered owner
of any motor vehicle which has five or more outstanding and unpaid
parking violations against it, such motor vehicle may be removed by
or under the direction of a member of the Police Department, by towing
or otherwise, if such motor vehicle is found parked on any public
street or public highway, any portion of the entire width between
the boundary lines of any way publicly maintained when any part thereof
is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel
or on any property leased by or in possession or control of the Town
of New Canaan. In addition to or in lieu of towing, any such vehicle
may be immobilized in such manner as to prevent its operation, except
that no such vehicle shall be immobilized by any means other than
by the use of a device or other mechanism which will cause no damage
to such vehicle unless it is moved while such device or mechanism
is in place. In any case involving immobilization of a vehicle pursuant
to this subsection, such member of the Police Department shall cause
to be placed on such vehicle, in a conspicuous manner, notice sufficient
to warn any individual to the effect that any attempt to move such
vehicle might result in damage to such vehicle.
[Amended 11-12-86, effective 11-28-86]
Unless the owner of any motor vehicle which has been towed, immobilized or removed in accordance with § 33-1 shall have repossessed the same within 24 hours after the towing, immobilization or removal of any motor vehicle in accordance with § 33-1, the Police Department shall notify the owner of such vehicle by certified mail, return receipt, of the fact that such motor vehicle has been towed, immobilized or removed, the place where it may be recovered and the conditions under which it will be released.
[Amended 11-12-86, effective 11-28-86]
Before the owner or person in charge of any motor vehicle immobilized or taken into custody in accordance with § 33-1 hereof shall be allowed to repossess or to secure the release of such motor vehicle, the owner or his agent shall pay to the Police Department for the use of the town all of the following:
A.
The
cost of towing or removing the motor vehicle.
B.
The
cost of storage for each day or portion of a day that such motor vehicle
is stored in excess of the first 24 hours of such storage.
C.
All
sums legally due to the Town of New Canaan for unpaid parking tickets
and fines outstanding against such motor vehicle.
[Amended 11-12-86, effective 11-28-86]
No immobilized or impounded motor vehicle shall be released
until the person claiming such vehicle shall establish his identity
and right to possession of the motor vehicle and until a receipt is
signed therefor.
The Board of Selectmen shall establish one or more motor vehicle pounds to which motor vehicles may be towed or removed at the direction of the officer in charge of the Police Department of the Town of New Canaan in accordance with the provisions of § 33-1. The pound or pounds so established hereunder shall be either public storage garages or such other appropriate places as shall be designated or established by the Board of Selectmen.
The provisions of this chapter shall not be considered to contravene
or be in derogation of the authority vested in the Police Department
of the Town of New Canaan by Sec. 14-150 of the Connecticut General
Statutes, as amended, relating to abandoned or unregistered motor
vehicles and motor vehicles which are a menace to traffic.
Any person who shall remove any motor vehicle which has been placed in a pound without complying with § 33-3 shall be subject to a fine of not more than $100.
